A mixed reality world integrates virtual objects (holograms) with a user's view of the real world. Mixed reality devices augment the real world with virtual objects that aim to look as if they are really placed within that world. A mixed reality device allows the user to view their real-world surrounding through a semi-transparent display in the case of a wearable device, or a live video feed in the case of a laptop device, a smartphone, or other handheld computer. Virtual objects can then be presented on the display, which appear superimposed on the user's view of their real-world surrounding, thus merging virtual reality with physical reality.
A mixed reality devices can lock the position of a virtual object relative to real-world objects (referred to as “world locking” a virtual object). For example, a virtual flower pot can be placed onto a real-world table and appear as if it is on the surface of the real-world table. The virtual flower pot is spatially locked with respect to the surface of the real-world table, and may leave the user's field of view as the user moves about in their real-world surrounding. If the virtual object is world locked to a moving real-world object, the virtual object may move with the moving real-world object.
Additionally, mixed reality devices can also show notifications and other forms of information in a way that is locked to the display of the mixed reality device, rather than to real-world objects. This viewing mode can be useful for invoking applications such as a web browser, an email client, and so on. In this viewing mode, the virtual object merely overlays the user's field of view independently of real-world objects in their field of view.